SPIN Top 40 Of 2003

You couldn't have made more of a mindfuck if you tried! Let it slip in your ballot and then deny ever having thought about it.

Anthony, I can only chalk this up to your famous "rhythm section problem." (And remember, DBT's considerably less alt country but still not danceable enough previous album topped my list last year, unless you count bands from 25 years ago.) (Also, I didn't compare Ted Leo, etc to Darkness, etc; I compared them to Thin Lizzy, etc.)

Yeah judging bands on more than their rhythm section IS my problem, Chuck.

1. That Smell
2. Workin' for MCA
3. Call Me the Breeze
4. Mississippi Kid
5. What's Your Name?
6. Simple Man
7. Things Goin' On
8. I Need You
9. Swamp Music
10. Sweet Home Alabama

And yeah, that's what I was getting at, too, with the Pharmacists. I didn't feel like typing the whole thing.

Drive By Truckers have yet to write a song as good as:

1. That Smell
2. Workin' for MCA
3. Call Me the Breeze
5. What's Your Name?
6. Simple Man
10. Sweet Home Alabama

Wittier lyrics, more engaged singing, fuller guitars, sadder beauty. More at STAKE. Not just a better beat, though they swung as hard as any rock band ever. But they were an album band, Anthony. You should buy their albums. The first two are a really fine place to start.

Avalanches TOTALLY surprised me! I'd barely even heard of them!

because it's a good album that's been released in the midwest?

also, what rock were you living under that you'd never heard of the Avalanches?
yeah, I even knew they sucked by then!

I heard the NAME Avalanches. Somebody in Canada had pitched me the record. I just assumed it was, like, a popular in Canada thing. I still don't understand what's so great about that album, so maybe that's got something to do with it. But obviously, many disagreed.

I like that Spin's singles list had "No Letting Go" and no "Get Busy" (they're both great, but I like Wayne Wonder's song better).

That's like saying that Geddy Lee isn't as important a bassist as Quiet Riot's!

(By the way, I do think White Stripes DESERVE to beat Outkast and Radiohead -- and *maybe* even beat Dizee Rascal; thats a close one. But what I want to win and what I think will win are two different animals. Of course, most albums that I want to win won't even place.)

And most EVERYTHING music is bad, Michaelangelo. Why should electronic stuff be any different? But I love lots of it, as you know. Or you should.

Don't you have 10 toenails?

Neither the White Stripes or Outkast records are as good as those bands' previous records, but are both FAR better than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot/Sea Change/WhateverthatFlamingLipsalbumwascalled, so I say Pazz and Jop is looking better this year!

The Flaming Lips rock.

The Lips record, even though I can't remember what it was called, is my favorite of those three, but I like Elephant and Love Below/Speakerboxx better, though Elephant's apparent coronation somewhat perplexes me since it seems clearly inferior to White Blood Cells to my ears.

And if that doesn't make sense, tough shit!